Date posted: 23rd Feb 2026
Clive Owen LLP, one of the North’s leading independent accountancy firms, has further strengthened its expanding Corporate Finance division with the appointment of an experienced investment professional.
Michael Dickens joins the firm as Corporate Finance Manager, having built a distinguished 15-year career supporting high-growth businesses across the North East.
He joins Clive Owen LLP after nearly a decade as an Investment Manager at a UK-wide venture capital and private equity firm, where he played a key role in delivering growth capital and strategic funding solutions to businesses across the region.
Prior to this, Michael spent six years at a regional fund management business focused on supporting SMEs across multiple sectors, progressing from trainee to Fund Manager.
Throughout his career, Michael has been directly involved in more than 200 corporate transactions worth over £100m in the region, whose specialisms include seed and growth funding, management buyouts (MBOs) and raising finance to support scaling businesses.
He joins Clive Owen LLP at a time of strong, sustained organic growth for the firm, particularly within its Corporate Finance offering, which has recently advised on a series of high-profile transactions, including the completion of five deals in a week.
Michael’s vast investment and finance raising capabilities will further complement and strengthen the firm’s wider Corporate Finance team, comprising Partner Michael Cantwell and Executive Joe Vera-Sanso.
Commenting on his appointment, Michael Dickens said: “I am delighted to be joining Clive Owen LLP at a time of strong growth across the firm, and especially within its thriving Corporate Finance division.
“I believe my investment and fund management experience brings further value to an experienced and talented team, and I am excited to build on this success and work with clients to execute and maximise their corporate finance strategies.”
Michael Cantwell added: “Michael’s expertise and experience will further strengthen our capabilities, and I am delighted to have him onboard. Crucially, his investment skills complement our offering and will help clients along their growth journeys, particularly when accessing finance and fundraising.
“Clive Owen Corporate Finance continues to make strong progress on its own growth journey, with further transactions and activity already in the pipeline. We are keen to build on our recent successes, and our increased visibility reflects the strong demand for our services and the depth of expertise within our team to support clients at every stage of their business lifecycle.”
Established in 1983, Clive Owen LLP has grown from a small sole trader operation into a dynamic firm with five offices in Darlington, Durham, York, Middlesbrough and Newcastle, and a workforce in the region of 150 colleagues. The practice prides itself on delivering multi-disciplinary expertise while maintaining a reputation for a personal, client-focused service.
